1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Sajjan Kumar surrenders before Delhi court

On December 17, Sajjan Kumar was found guilty in a case pertaining to the killing of five members of a Sikh family during the 1984 riots.

Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was sentenced to life for his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, surrendered before Delhi’s Karkardooma court on Monday — the last day of the deadline set by the Delhi High Court. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg.

Former MLAs Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were also convicted, had surrendered earlier in the day.

The court also rejected Kumar’s plea to be lodged in the Tihar jail. He has now been taken to the Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi.

On December 17, Kumar was found guilty in a case pertaining to the killing of five members of a Sikh family during the riots. The High Court had sentenced Kumar to the “remainder of his natural life” in the case, saying the riots were a “crime against humanity” perpetrated by those who enjoyed “political patronage” and aided by an “indifferent” law enforcement agency.

The plea also contended that there was no evidence to substantiate the conspiracy charges against him or that he even knew the other co-accused.

Earlier, in April 2013, a special CBI court had acquitted Kumar in the case. The CBI and relatives of victims of the riots had appealed against the acquittal in the Delhi High Court.